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Licensing Hotline: February 2011
Viz Publishing is the U.S. master licensee for Mameshiba ("bean dog"), a hit property in Japan, for children's book formats. The program marks a departure for Viz in many ways. It is its first major branded children's line consisting of original titles—partners for additional programs will be announced soon—and the books will be in color.
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Disney-Hyperion Signs Rachel Cohn Series
Disney-Hyperion has acquired a four-book sci-fi/fantasy series by Rachel Cohn, whose earlier YA books include Gingerbread and its sequels, and a trio of novels coauthored with David Levithan, among them Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist.
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Mead Estate Self-Publishes Suite of E-books
Seizing on both a renewed interest in his most iconic book, and frustration about the unavailability of his backlist in digital format, Shepherd Mead's literary estate is preparing to release e-book editions of three titles by the author to coincide with the publication of a new print version of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.
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Hyperion Signs Jane Lynch Memoir
Editorial director at Hyperion's Voice imprint, Barbara Jones, acquired a memoir by actress Jane Lynch. Lynch, who has won recent acclaim for her role as Sue Sylvester on the popular FOX show Glee, will offer up, per the publisher, a "funny and inspirational" book with Happy Accidents. The book is scheduled for September 2011.
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FaithWords Signs Osteen
After publishing several books with Simon & Schuster, Joel Osteen has signed a multiple book deal with Hachette Book Group’s FaithWords imprint. The first, as yet unnamed book, will be released in September. The books were acquired by FaithWords president and publishers Rolf Zettersten from Jan Miller of Dupree Miller & Associates.
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Distribution: IPS Adds More Langenscheidt; Getty Changes in Canada
Ingram Publisher Services has extended its distribution agreement with APA Publications, part of the Langenscheidt Publishing Group, taking over distribution of Langenscheidt Dictionaries and Phrasebooks effective March 1. IPS had already been the distributor for APA's travel and reference guides. Langenscheidt closed its American publishing/distribution arm in November.
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ProQuest Buys Ebrary
Ebrary, one of the pioneers in aggregating books and other print content online, has been acquired by ProQuest for an undisclosed price. Founded in 1999 by Christopher Warnock and Kevin Sayar, ebrary hosts more than 273,000 digital books, handbooks, reports, maps, journals and other content from about 500 publishers.
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Licensing: The Year in Review
As 2011 approaches, we asked a range of editors and executives with responsibility for licensed publishing about this year's trends. The consensus: there were no real blockbuster properties this year, but several licensed lines performed well.
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Licensing Hotline: December 2010
Penguin's Grosset & Dunlap imprint will launch its first children's books under license from World Wrestling Entertainment in the spring. Also in the news: Egmont U.K.'s licensed Waybuloo books, a new educational license for Zenescope’s Silver Dragon imprint, and a round-up of apps based on book-connected licensed properties.
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Rossi's YA Dystopian Romance Lands at Warner Brothers
Veronica Rossi's debut, a dystopian YA romance trilogy called Under the Never Sky, sold to HarperCollins in September in a major deal and has since been quietly selling internationally. Now, after being sold in 20 markets (and landing six six-figure advances in those foreign sales), the book is headed to Hollywood. Warner Brothers has optioned the series, for feature adaptation, beating out both Summit Entertainment (which produced the Twilight saga) and Fox. Creative executive Chris Gary acquired the dramatic rights.
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Skyhorse Buys Allworth Press
Skyhorse Publishing, which earlier this year bought the assets of Arcade Publishing, has added Allworth Press, acquiring the New York City indie for an undisclosed price. Founded in 1989 by Tad Crawford, Allworth has a backlist of over 300 titles focusing on business and self-help books for artists, photographers, graphic designers, and interior designers as well as for filmmakers, performing artists, and authors.
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McGraw-Hill Education Buys Starting Out
McGraw-Hill Education has acquired Starting Out, Inc., a publisher of life-skills learning, and workplace readiness information for the education, workforce, and corrections markets. The company publishes state-specific information in more than 80 life skills categories.
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Bloomsbury Acquires Duckworth Academic List
Bloomsbury Publishing has acquired the Duckworth academic list, and beginning March 1 will take over distribution of the Duckworth trade line to worldwide markets. The announcement was made this morning by Peter Mayer, managing director of Duckworth, and Nigel Newton, CEO of Bloomsbury. The Duckworth academic list will become part of Bloomsbury's Bristol Classical Press.
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Licensing Hotline: October 2010
In licensing news, Sterling launches its first-ever movie tie-in program, Chronicle adapts a Pixar short film into a picture book, and Michael's will be offering a line of Dr. Seuss arts and crafts, in an exclusive arrangement.
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Ingram in Warehousing, Fulfillment Deal with Springer
Under an agreement signed last week, starting in the first quarter of 2011, Ingram Content Group will take over warehousing management, fulfillment and print-on-demand in the U.S. for European-based Springer. Through the agreement, Ingram will hold Springer's entire U.S. inventory and as it sells down, Ingram will transition titles to print-on-demand on titles where it makes the most economic sense.
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FastPencil, NBN in Deal
FastPencil has teamed up with National Book Network in a deal that will see NBN distribute titles in FastPencil's Premiere imprint to its accounts, while NBN publishing clients will have access to FastPencil's publishing tools. FastPencil announced the launch of Premiere this summer. Premiere is aimed at established and "top tier" new authors and offers authors royalties that it says are three times that of average rates.
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Macomber Moves to Random
Bestselling women's fiction writer Debbie Macomber, who has been with Harlequin for most of her career, is moving to the Random House Publishing Group in 2012. The house's Ballantine imprint has acquired the rights to publish six Macomber novels in hardcover, paperback, audio, and e-book, from Macomber's agent, Theresa Park of the Park Literary Group.
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HarperCollins Snags All English-language Rights to Christie
HarperCollins has reached an agreement with Agatha Christie Ltd., the company that controls publishing rights to the legendary author's works, to become her exclusive worldwide English language publisher. Although HC publishes all Christie titles in the U.K., her books have been published by several different publishers in the U.S. and Canada. The deal is for all formats, including digital.
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Licensing Hotline: August 2010
HarperCollins has secured publishing rights to the Twentieth Century Fox feature film Rio, a 3D-animated flick about a rare bird named Blu who flies from Minnesota to Rio de Janeiro — which is scheduled for a February 2011 release. Emily Brenner, v-p and editorial director of HarperFestival, says Harper is more selective about movie properties than it was several years ago, but this one stood out.
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Putnam Signs Betty White to Two-Book Deal
Betty White, who's been riding a hot streak in Hollywood, is now ready to take the New York literati by storm. Putnam has signed the 88-year-old actress to a two-book deal with the first title, Listen Up!, to feature life lessons from the show biz veteran. White, whose career unexpectedly picked up in the last few years with popular TV ads that led to more notable gigs--she recently hosted Saturday Night Live to rave reviews, and her ensemble sitcom, Hot in Cleveland, was just picked up for a second season by TV Land--will discuss in Listen Up! topics like love, sex and aging. Putnam is planning a spring 2011 publication.
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